Monday, June 08, 2009
Bali's Population Density Much Higher Than Japan's
Believe it or not, but Bali's population density is 1,448 /sq mi while Japan's is 872.8/sq mi (check it for yourself on Wikipedia). Not exactly a place I would call paradise on earth. Remember that Japan's population is concentrated in a few extremely dense areas, for instance Osaka's population density is 30,803 /sq mi. The problem in Bali is that people are spread out all over the place, leaving very little space for the wildlife and beauty that once dominated the island. For example, the biggest (and perhaps the only real) national park in Bali covers just 10% of the island's total area. Perhaps I would have enjoyed Bali more if I had visited a few decades ago, when there were people still alive to tell tales of the now extinct Balinese tiger. It should also be mentioned that people in Bali don't smile any more than they do in Thailand.
Perhaps I am being a bit harsh, but I have not been impressed by Bali so far. Staying in Nusa Dua, an area developed just for tourists, may not have been the best choice in the world. From what I know, this place used to be a fishing village. The international resort we are staying in could easily be in Thailand or the Philippines, it does not really matter anywhere what South-Eastern country you are in. Not to mention that a coral reef was destroyed to build this place.
Yesterday we spent a day mainly relaxing on the beach, and in the evening we enjoyed dinner in Kuta, famous for being bombed by terrorists in 2002. Today we took a tour of the island, but did not see much of the natural beauty that I had hoped for. Our guide was capable of speaking some Japanese and some English, but not sufficient to tell us anything interesting about the sights we visited. We should perhaps have forked out the money and arranged a tour through our hotel, though that would have cost me a liver + a couple of additional body parts. In total our tour today cost just $50, so at least we are not bankrupted.
Perhaps I am being a bit harsh, but I have not been impressed by Bali so far. Staying in Nusa Dua, an area developed just for tourists, may not have been the best choice in the world. From what I know, this place used to be a fishing village. The international resort we are staying in could easily be in Thailand or the Philippines, it does not really matter anywhere what South-Eastern country you are in. Not to mention that a coral reef was destroyed to build this place.
Yesterday we spent a day mainly relaxing on the beach, and in the evening we enjoyed dinner in Kuta, famous for being bombed by terrorists in 2002. Today we took a tour of the island, but did not see much of the natural beauty that I had hoped for. Our guide was capable of speaking some Japanese and some English, but not sufficient to tell us anything interesting about the sights we visited. We should perhaps have forked out the money and arranged a tour through our hotel, though that would have cost me a liver + a couple of additional body parts. In total our tour today cost just $50, so at least we are not bankrupted.
Labels: Bali, Indonesia, sights, sightseeing, tourism
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